Depending on what expert you consult, the. J. i was just wonderin. 09 grouse/station (95% confidence interval 0. Selection of Study Sites We conducted ruffed grouse breeding surveys of drum-ming males during spring 2007 and 2008 to estimate occu- Thus, the overall average number of grouse drumming per station on these state-owned Game Lands was 0. Ruffed grouse weigh about 1. Missouri Ruffed Grouse Restoration and Reintroduction Efforts. Hunting in the early morning is by far my favorite time of the day to grouse hunt. 30. Their tail has a wide black band toward the tip of the feathers, and the birds have a triangular crest. 9. The establishment provides over 30 slot machines and Pull Tabs games, as well as other activities such as darts and pool. Adult spruce grouses are 15 to 17 in length with a wingspan of 21. We learned they are insanely faster than pheasants and far more agile. $125 extra is charged for a 3rd person. As far as public lands go, check out Cooper’s Creek, Rich Mountain and Chestatee for grouse hunting in Georgia. Forest grouse don’t shrug off shot the way a big rooster pheasant seems to. They are most abundant in the northern Black Hills where aspen are more abundant. A displaying male ruffed grouse on his drumming log (Canon 60D homemade camera trap, no flash) In spring, the male ruffed grouse chooses a “stage” from which he displays and “drums” to attract females. 6 inches. North Wisconsin Grouse and Woodcock Hunts. One of North America’s spectacular dancing grouse species, the Sharp-tailed Grouse gathers at open display grounds known as leks on spring mornings. To locate feathers 15-18, count down from the. The casino's 2,100 square foot gaming space features twelve gaming machines. Hunting the wrong type of habitat. Male ruffed grouse are very territorial and will defend an area of about 6 to10 acres. Hence, 17-8 = 9, or . Description. This is part two in Pat Durkin’s series looking at differing cultural perceptions of fair chase. Its well-adapted beak, legs, wings, and gut permit it to feed by browsing on buds, leaves, and twigs. The subspecies that inhabits Maine is the St. Hunting does not affect ruffed grouse. Often flushed from the forest floor, exploding into the air with a startling burst of wingbeats and then gliding down towards. Using your hands, shred the meat and return to the pot. The best ruffed grouse habitat provides a combination of food and cover (young and old aspen stands) within a small area. Their tail feathers are the same color as their body, but have a dark black band near the end. It fluffs out like an Elizabethan neck piece, black, feathered and tres chic. i dont even knoe if thats alowed. Ruffed Grouse Roadhouse is one of 21 properties owned by White Earth Band of Chippewa Indians. Ruffed grouse (or “Partridge”) are the most widely distributed game birds in North America. Tom Lawler- Sooty grouse breeding. Chukar. The answer, typically, is toward the bigger, thicker woods, especially softwood stands. The post-Christmas grouse season (hereafter “late season”) is well-loved by many grouse hunters. Last year, the season was changed to close on Nov. Possible Solution: PARTRIDGE. Photo: Roland Jordahl A brown or red phase ruffed grouse. Ruffed Grouse are somewhat larger than pigeons, living their entire lives in wooded areas. Displaying males. Anywhere there’s a change in the cover type, there’s going to be a more diverse mix of tree/shrub species and one is bound to be thicker than. It can survive in many different forest types, but aspen is prime “partridge” cover. Woodcock season opens October 1 and concludes November 14. Feather/Plumage: The. Ruffed grouse hunting in Georgia. With the advent of the digital age, plenty of podcasts, Facebook community pages, and Instagram posts will reveal mass migration events. Weight: The males weigh around 500 – 750 g, while the weight of the females is between 450 and 600, with an average mass of 644 g. Look for relatively long, squared tail with dark band near the tip, bold barring on the sides, and small pointed crest. Using your hands, shred the meat and return to the pot. — Despite decades of decline, a genetic analysis of ruffed grouse reveals that Pennsylvania’s state bird harbors more genetic diversity and connectivity than expected. Ruffed grouse populations traditionally rise and fall over a nine to 11-year cycle, and the last peak in Wisconsin occurred in 2011. Managing forests for ruffed grouse also provides habitat for other wildlife species associated with early successional forests, including deer, bear and woodcock. One such hunter that takes advantage of this great hunting opportunity is Amanda Ballengee. Pearson, 1940, USDA Forest Service 2001. Female Spruce Grouse have white under parts with black barring, while female Dusky Grouse have bluish-gray under parts. 09”. Common Snipe All Ducks, Geese, Sea Ducks (Scoter, Eider, Long-Tailed Duck) Sora & Virginia Rails (and Gallinules) All Crows 1-6 August 1, 2023 February 5, 2024Young aspen stands provide wildlife habitat for a variety of species, including white-tailed deer, ruffed grouse, American woodcock and golden-winged warblers. Ruffed grouse aren’t everywhere, of course, but they thrive in early successional forest lands, which are maintained by aggressive timber harvest programs. The spruce grouse is a state-endangered species and is not legal to hunt. I do as you describe. The ring-necked pheasant season (males only) happens within three separate zones. “We are entering the down phase of the 10. Primary Predators: A wide range of predators prey on Ruffed Grouse adults, chicks, and eggs. Prairie Grouse Scouting – onX Hunt Masterclass. 3rd St. Ruffed Grouse feed on nutrient-rich buds found in the thinner branches of deciduous-tree crowns. PAUL – Minnesota’s ruffed grouse spring population counts are up from last year, which was not expected during the current declining phase of the 10-year cycle – a pattern recorded for. Hit the woods at sunrise, when the birds have just flown down and are moving out and laying down some. Typically, hunters are asked to provide one wing from. In Utah, the most common color phases for ruffed grouse tend to be gray and red (Figure 3). George Bird Evans said in The Upland Shooting Life , “I know of no bird shooting that offers so few hits for shells fired and, other than turkey hunting, so few chances to shoot as does grouse shooting. September 23, 2021. In the mornings and evenings, especially as breeding begins in the spring, ruffed grouse can be heard “drumming. It is the most widely distributed game bird in North America. These include the blue grouse, spruce grouse, ruffed grouse, sharp-tailed grouse, and sage grouse. 5–19. Ruffed grouse hunting season takes place on limited days between mid-October and late December. Fats had all the talents needed to become a grouse hunter. Having long shot Winchester’s 1-oz, 28-gauge loads—going through several flats in a variety of shot sizes—I can offer the following lethality findings. January 13, 2017. The following ownership information is a subset of that available in the Gaming Business Directory published by Casino City Press. Currently there is No Open Season onThe dusky grouse ( Dendragapus obscurus) and the sooty grouse ( Dendragapus fuliginosus) were first identified separately by Lewis and Clark in the 1800s. I personally tend to veer away from the meats department becau. Ruffed grouse inhabit deciduous and coniferous forests with dense understories, especially those dominated by aspen (Populus spp. Courting males puff themselves into feathery balls and fill the air with exuberant gobbling. Behavior. It is a time to be in the woods with few other people. The state of Pennsylvania chose the ruffed grouse (Bonasa umbellus) as the state bird in 1931. The males are usually slightly larger than the females, although an occasional adult. We monitored 45 nests belonging to 37. Ruffed Grouse in oak-hickory forests in Rhode Island to determine the importance of different habitat types for grouse. In high years, birds seem to be "everywhere", and you will find a lot of birds in marginal habitat types after the "fall shuffle". , in. The study, led by Penn State and Pennsylvania Game. 2017 – 2018 Comparisons Hunter Cooperator Surveys Hunter Cooperator surveys rely on volunteer hunters that record numbers of hours hunted and ruffed grouse and woodcock flushed each day of hunting. Ruffed grouse are among the most popular game birds in the country and Minnesota sports the highest population of these birds found anywhere— and this year could well be better-than-expected. season zone from the 2020 Ruffed Grouse Drumming Survey. 410 caliber. On right shows the comb-like snowshoes they grow on their feet in the winter. The decreases observed in the ruffed grouse and pheasant populations in this year's surveys were not unexpected. Weight: The males weigh around 500 – 750 g, while the weight of the females is between 450 and 600, with an average mass of 644 g. 1:34:21. Whole roast grouse with tomato, fig and bread salad is perfect for early season birds. So there aren’t very many ruffies shot each year in the Black Hills. Ithaca/SKB 100. Listen as Macaulay Library Audio Archivist Martha Fischer describes listening to the drum of a male Ruffed Grouse. Oak seedlings and saplings as well as clumps of other food producing trees or shrubs should be left standing when possible. In New York, the ruffed grouse population is stable statewide, as surveys revealed 0. 04 to 0. A document entitled “Dietary Roulette”, posted on the University of California-Davis website, both explains the phenomenon and raises unanswered questions. Ryan Schmidt- Male spruce grouse. Ruffed grouse reside in dense foliage, shrubs, young trees, and conifers near water in many forms, whether a river, stream, pond, or bog. The Crossword Solver found 30 answers to "RUFFED GROUSE", 7 letters crossword clue. It was the first time either had found a Ruffed Grouse nest, as they are very well camouflaged and hidden. Bobwhite Quail Not much in upland hunting is more exciting than having a covey of ten or fifteen bobwhites. DBA Ruffed Grouse Roadhouse P. Bobwhite Quail Not much in upland hunting is more exciting than having a covey of ten or fifteen bobwhites. Ruffed grouse is the most widespread upland game bird in North America—but what it’s called depends upon where you live. Credit / Author: NPS & MSU Acoustic Atlas/Jennifer Jerrett. Females are intricately scaled with brown, buff, and white. While the ruffed grouse is the most common and widely sought-after species, both offer exciting hunting opportunities. | Meaning, pronunciation, translations and examples in American English. Higher drumming count may not mean more grouse when season opens Sept. 4. Known as the King of all game birds Ruffed Grouse hunting here permeates that. Ruffed Grouse Roadhouse is a Native American Casino in Lengby, Minnesota and is open Mon-Sat 9am-1am, Sun noon-midnight. Graphs below include data from all routes run in both years. Saturday permits are required of any hunter wishing to. Spruce. They prefer higher elevations; quite a bit of the Chattahoochee National Forest has good habitat for. 2020). ruffed grouse and woodcock have been summarized in the results section of this report. Keep a map in your truck (yes, like a real. It may be the weirdest noise in the woods: the thrumming whumps of the male Ruffed Grouse. It can come as a surprise to learn this distant. They were later combined into one species. A grouse “drumming” on a log. In a well-managed forest, natural soft mast including grapes, serviceberry, and gray dogwood are consumed readily. A study conducted in the 1940s identified 505 items that northeastern ruffed grouse ate. Another factor is versatility; this gauge can pack a greater punch in 3-inch loads when the need arises. Ruffed Grouse occur in two color morphs, grayish or reddish, with the difference most obvious on the broad tail feathers. Location. Photo by Jacob Dingel, courtesy of PGC. [2] It is non-migratory. 7, 2024 Oct. Ruffed grouse can be found throughout the northern part of Minnesota, but it’s in the northeast that hunting just might be best when the season opens Sept. young ruffed grouse can travel during natal dispersal (e. And ruffed grouse aren’t the only grouse species that are (forgive the language—I lack a better term) f%$#ed. More than 250 years ago, the famous Philadelphia naturalist John Bartram. Unlike those who fuss or waffle about ground. The research aims to determine whether the commonwealth’s grouse population shows signs. Perched securely on an elevated spot, like a log or boulder, the. Interspersion and a variety of timber classes enhance the quality of ruffed grouse habitat. Specialties: Click on our webpage for our Weekly and Happy Hour Specials. In the breeding season, consumes leaves of many herbaceous plants, fruits, and insects; the latter are important to chicks and adults. Optimal year-round cover includes a mosaic of forest age-classes with stands of young and older forests closely. In 1975, the Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC) 4 initiated a long-term study to evaluate responses of ruffed grouse to intensive management of forests in cen-tral Pennsylvania that contained mixed oak, aspen, andCONTACT:Andy Timmins: (603) 271-1742Jacob DeBow: (603) 788-3164September 19, 2023 Concord, NH – The hunting season for ruffed grouse—New Hampshire’s most sought-after upland game bird—starts October 1 and runs through December 31. According to the National Geographic Society, those three counties make up the most desirable place to visit in all of America — an assessment which probably doesn’t factor in the grouse hunting opportunities to be found there. The agency is conducting a ruffed grouse genetics study in cooperation with Pennsylvania State University. 658 posts · Joined 2003. All residents and non-residents, 16 and older, must have a valid small game license in possession to take small game. ”. Grouse rely more. 2 mins Read. About. Maple Trees. There are…. Â. 7, 2024 Oct. ”. Simply put, it’s a safe time for ruffies to be out and about. In North America, the ruffed grouse symbolism is about wisdom, intuition, and the female principle. The reasons for the decline in grouse numbers are many, but it's clear that the most critical issue is habitat loss. g. I shoot a 28 gauge Dickinson Plantation side-by-side and love it. Think on your feet. In New York, the ruffed grouse population is stable statewide, as surveys revealed 0. Small game hunting is a favorite way to enjoy the outdoors and put wild game on the table. 3. The enhanced forest habitat created from felled trees resulted in Bruce and Steve finding an active Ruffed Grouse nest on the ground in early spring. Up in the northern mountains of Georgia live the ruffed grouse. Males are brown-black with neat white spots and, during displays, a searing red eyebrow comb. I just shot a 46 out of 50 on sporting clays. In the mornings and evenings, especially as breeding begins in the spring, ruffed grouse can be heard “drumming. Ruffed grouse hunting season takes place on limited days between mid-October and late December. Updated: September 1, 2021. Ruffed Grouse are one of 10 species of grouse native to North America and are one of the smaller birds in the group, ranging from 17 to 25 oz. Learn how to field dress and clean a ruffed grouse from NH upland bird hunting guide, Lisa Savard. Brown the grouse on all sides, remove the browned pieces from the pan, and set to the side. Management opportunities for ruffed grouse and other forest wildlife in oak forests depend, in part, on the composition and arrangement of the principal tree, shrub, and herbaceous food and cover plants. In the spring, male Ruffed Grouse perch on fallen logs and make a low-pitched drumming sound by opening and closing their wings in rapid succession. Wisconsin is known to be the ruffed grouse capital of the world and we can assure you that it is. It is dusky and slightly smaller than the ruffed grouse. Tips & Techniques. The Ruffed Grouse is the most widely distributed native game birds in North America. About every nine to 11 years their population hits these. A Dog’s Life. a ruffed grouse population already is established include prescribed burning or clear-cutting areas of 5 to 20 acres. Grouse Stock. The Spruce Grouse is a dapper species of evergreen forests in northern and western North America. Grouse feathers are often used in Native American headdresses to signify strength and healing. The males also produce a drumming sound, typically while perched on a log, as well. Females watch intently as males bend low to the ground, raise their pointed tails skyward, and stamp their feet so fast they become a blur, all while inflating purplish air sacs to make quiet cooing noises. Ruffed grouse are the most widely distributed game bird in North America. In South Dakota they only occur within the Black Hills National Forest. Grouse more than any other game bird will gravitate to pockets of prime cover, meaning those containing whatever its priority requirements are at the moment. Use woodcock as a primer for ruffed grouse. The ruffed grouse is the game bird that makes the north woods come alive. In fact, the sheer quantity of land needed to maintain grouse habitat with hunt. The easiest way to clean a grouse is place it breast-up on the ground, step on each wing near the body, then grab the feet and pull. Left: Kevin Klerks/Flickr. Map Index. with modified choke for all his bird hunting. A male ruffed grouse claims his territory in the forest near Mammoth Hot Springs. Male Spruce Grouse are slate gray and black above characteristic unfeathered red patch of skin above the eye; Female Spruce Grouse are gray and brown above and white and brown below; under certain light. Primarily vegetarian, but diet varies by season. Familiar as these accelerating burps still are to hunters and hikers of the north woods, the origin of this bizarre sound was long a mystery. MAASS (American,. Juvenile female grouse disperse about 3 miles while male grouse disperse about 1 mile. A few weeks after discovering the nest, Bruce saw an adult grouse and 5-6 chicks in. The Parkland Region boasts impressively stable grouse populations, and with agriculture interspersed, the birds do very well. This plump grouse has a cocky crest and a tail marked by a broad, dark band near the tip. Grouse Stock. An overview of ruffed grouse meat including nutrition facts and tips for cooking each of the different cuts of. Place the grouse, onions, carrots, celery, garlic, thyme, rosemary, salt, pepper, chicken broth, and water in an 8-quart stockpot. The bird is an excellent climber among slender branches and on thin, yielding stems. It has the distinctive behavior of “drumming” to attract a mate. The ruffed grouse (Bonasa umbellus) is North America‟s most widely distributed resident game bird. We dive deeper into the dogs from Trinity Kennels and talk about the goals and evaluations standards that Jeff and Josh use in their breeding program at Trinity. * These fees represent the 2023 Maine hunting license prices. Ruffed grouse thrive in the Great Lakes states and in the northeast, especially Maine. How this grouse will adapt in Montana with projected changes to its montane-boreal habitat is unclear, though the wide-ranging study suggests the bird may. . Autumn Orchard - Ruffed Grouse, 1994, Limited edition to 950 prints. The dappled, grayish or reddish Ruffed Grouse is hard to see, but its “drumming on air” display is a fixture of many spring forests. This is one of the last places for Ruffed Grouse in the state, a game species that needs early successional forest habitat for survival. The following ownership information is a subset of that available in the Gaming Business Directory published by Casino City Press. Steve has been a ruffed grouse hunter for over 40 years and knows what a true grouse dog is. They rank among the smaller of the 10 species of grouse native to North America with weights ranging from 17 to 25 oz. 30. The sharp-tailed. A hawk has started hunting the feeder birds in my yard. Ruffed tumbed to the snowy brush below. 1 Dec. marked ruffed grouse at least twice weekly during October and at least once weekly during the latter part of the hunting season (Nov and Dec). Ruffed grouse – Ruffed grouse prefer thick cover featuring second-growth aspen and high-bush cranberries, rosehips or soap berries. Non-residents pay $50. Over here grouse hunting is a very close range game, shots are between 10' and 30 yrds at the rare extreme, usually under 10yrds. You can then plan a stalk to put yourself in the best possible shooting position. These grouse are very. The Northern Zone, specifically Wildlife Management Units 5C, 5F, 6F, and 6J, is also home to the spruce grouse. This is promising news for grouse hunters. Pair that with the fact that other hunters typically don’t want to deal with the alarm clocks, lack of adequate. 2020). While it isn’t migratory, the Ruffed Grouse has been known to change its territory periodically. That is the allure of hunting ruffed grouse; the miles, the empty shells, and missed points make that moment when it does come together with the ecstasy of a New England upland hunter. The species ranges from sun-baked bitterbrush steppe to the twisted “krummholz” trees of frigid mountaintops, somehow. This is considerably lower than the drumming rate observed in 2020, but the same as observed in 2019. 45 0. My Dad was an avid bird hunter, used an Ithaca 37 16 ga. The Ruffed Grouse is a chicken-sized bird that is cryptically colored to blend in with its forested habitat. Choose a slow-working, perhaps older dog that will stay in sight most of the time and obey your. 12 0. The Ruffed Grouse Roadhouse is located in the southern part of Lengby, Minnesota, near Island Lake. Photo by Jacob Dingel, courtesy of PGC. The ruffed grouse is the most popular resident game bird throughout much of eastern North America. Properly. Much of Alaska, Canada, northern Rockies, northeastern U. 7 inches, typically weigh. "While. According to a Wisconsin DNR hunter survey , “The harvest of ruffed grouse declined over 30 percent from 262,943 in 2016 to 185,336 in 2017 despite a 7 percent increase in hunter days afield. Its diet changes slightly depending upon the season. During the 2018 season in California, Sooty or Blue Grouse and Ruffed Grouse (Not Sage Grouse) Archery Season opens on August 18, 2018 to September 7, 2018. Depends on where you're hunting, Ruffed Grouse hunting here in the Maritimes won't be done in the same kind of terrain and woods as in say Minnesota or New Hampshire. Thus, the overall average number of grouse drumming per station on these state-owned Game Lands was 0. 19, 2020, through Jan. This plump grouse has a cocky crest and a tail marked by a broad, dark band near the tip. The dog listened, but was not the most conventionally trained bird dog. The female sits on the eggs, in the nest, until the eggs hatch, after 23 to 26 days. Though small isolated populations can be found west of the Appalachians and south of the Great Lakes states, by far the largest populations thrive in regions where snow covers the ground from at least. Sept 1 to Jan 15 2018. 9. Timber types along the river are oak, silver maple and elm. One of three species in the genus Tympanuchus, the sharp-tailed grouse is found throughout Alaska, much of Northern and Western Canada, and parts of the Western and Midwestern United States. Updated: September 1, 2021. A game species, the Ruffed Grouse was assigned a Continental Concern Score of 9/20 by Partners in Flight. Ruffed grouse populations rise and fall at intervals of about 10 years. You are allowed 5 combined ruffed and spruce grouse per day. 28 0. 7. 15 until Jan. Regenerate one or more small stands (10 to 40 acres) per 160 acres each cutting period whereA recent climate change study on North American birds published by National Audubon lists the ruffed grouse as an “at risk” species, along with 313 others from across the continent. Non-native Species. However, the confidence intervals are wide and Left: a male Grouse in full “ruffed” display. 97 routes were run in 2022 and 116 routes were run in 2023. We're known best for having an extensive craft beer selection, but "The Grouse" is more than just a bar, we have great food too. Grouse are gallinaceous birds and are related to quail, turkeys, pheasants and ptarmigan. The tail has a dark bar near the tip, but females lack the dark band on central tail feathers. Here’s where to hunt and when. The drumming rate was highest in the Adirondacks-Tug Hill ecozone (0. Aucuparia) berries, high-bush cran-berries (Viburnum. Learn more about Ruffed Grouse on All Abou. You can even visit the Ruffed Grouse Society website and watch the woodcock migration map. General Description of Species, Subspecies and Related species: The spruce grouse is relatively small compared to other North American grouse, most adults weighing 450-650 grams with males averaging ~50g larger than females. Across the country in different regions, wing collection boxes or barrels are set up by various agencies and organizations (Ruffed Grouse Society) for deposits from Band-tailed pigeons, dove, grouse (blue, dusky, prairie chickens, ruffed, sage, sharp-tail), ptarmigan, snipe, and woodcock. They prefer a variety of forests, including young forests with dense cover, as well as mature forests with. The males are usually slightly larger than the females, although an occasional adult female will exceed a. 7, 2024 Sept. Fats switched from bird hunting to grouse hunting in 1947. When displaying, the males erect earlike plumes on the head and blow up bright orange air sacs on the neck, transforming. Double Barrel, LLC, d/b/a Ruffed Grouse Roadhouse in Mahnomen, MN; Golden Eagle Bingo in Mahnomen, MN; Hilltop Supper Club in Mahnomen, MN; Isaacson-Bjorge Post 31 American Legion/Mahnomeh in Mahnomen, MN; Loon Echo Inc, d/b/a Elbow Lake Store & Bar in Mahnomen, MN; M & W Foods Ogema in Mahnomen, MN; M&W Service of White Earth in Mohnomen, MN Bird Cams FAQ: Red-tailed Hawk Nest. The sound of. Ruffed grouse are a cyclical species. ruffed grouse range primarily by fires caused by lightning or by Native Americans. Heavy waterfowling guns will wear out your arms, and they’re too slow getting on target. Once you get the hang of it, you can pluck a dove in about 2-3 minutes. Zone 1, the Upper Peninsula, runs from October 10 to 31, 2023. As a very popular game species, the grouse is in the same family as the wild turkey, quail and pheasant. 5 million acres of forest, 10 million acres are productive and managed. Lay the two sprigs of rosemary on the breast and wrap with bacon. Ruffed Grouse Upland Game Bird Meat. m. Ruffed Grouse. The female lays one egg per day, until her clutch is complete. 30. Middle and right: Ed Sharron Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil over medium-high heat in an 8-inch skillet. In the early season, try hunting near streams and swamps. These chickenlike birds eat mostly the needles of fir, spruce, and pine, an aromatic diet that makes them unpalatable to many hunters. g. Ruffed grouse are principally herbivores, feeding on a diet of buds, leaves, fruits, and insects. 19, 2020, through Jan. About crows. "While. Well-camouflaged chickenlike bird. Early Morning: Timber Seams Don’t believe sleepyhead late-risers who rationalize that grouse hunting is better at midmorning. Add the onion, garlic, mushroom, and carrot to the pan and saute for 3 minutes. George Bird Evans said in The Upland Shooting Life , “I know of no bird shooting that offers so few hits for shells fired and, other than turkey hunting, so few chances to shoot as does grouse shooting. Dendragapus obscurus. The article may not reflect this. Their wings beat furiously to escape the danger as I drop the closest bird with my first barrel and miss the second one cleanly. com. Rinse them off and place them on a paper towel. Recreating that high quality ruffed grouse habitat is an important part of the timber management strategy on Falcon Springs Wildlife Management Area, near Decorah. Bruce Horsfall - Ring-necked pheasantRuffed Grouse ("Partridge") Physical Characteristics. A bird of early successional deciduous forests, the ruffed grouse or “partridge,” is known for its drumming in the spring and its explosive take-off when surprised. During the 1700s and. Both the male and female are 40–50 cm (15. Ruffed Grouse: Diet and Habitat. These chickenlike birds eat mostly the needles of fir, spruce, and pine, an aromatic diet that makes them. 01 Table 4.